PASSOVER COVENANT

 One aspect of Passover is the blood covenant created on that last night of Yahshua’s life. Matthew 26:27, 28, Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the New Covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

This covenant was promised hundreds of years before. Yahweh said through the prophet: Jeremiah 31:31-34, Behold, the days are coming, says Yahweh, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says Yahweh. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says Yahweh: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their Elohim, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know Yahweh, for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says Yahweh. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more. The promise was fulfilled by Yahweh’s only son, Yahshua, our Savior and the Messiah.

A covenant is an agreement that creates a close family relationship. We see that Solomon made a covenant with Hiram, king of Syria (1 Kings 5). The next time they meet, Hiram calls him brother: 1 Kings 9:13, So he said, What kind of cities are these which you have given me, my brother?

Yahshua also created a close family relationship with us at that Passover. He needed to have that relationship in order to be able to save us.

Only a kinsman is entitled to redeem a person: Leviticus 25:48, 49, After he is sold he may be redeemed again. One of his brothers may redeem him; Or his uncle or his uncle’s son may redeem him; or anyone who is near of kin to him in his family may redeem him; or if he is able he may redeem himself.

Galatians 4:4, 5, But when the fullness of the time had come, Yahweh sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, To redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. We had sold ourselves into the bondage of sin. The sins we had decided to commit carry the death penalty, and we needed someone to redeem us.

After Yahshua died His disciples were sad about His apparent failure. They told their companion (who was actually Yahshua Himself): Luke 24:21, But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Even though Yahshua had made that blood covenant with them on Passover, they still thought that, since He had died, that could mean He had failed.

Paul wrote that we should be, Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great Elohim and Savior Yahshua the Messiah, Who gave Himself for us, that He might

redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. (Titus 2:13, 14)

Through Yahshua, Yahweh not only makes it possible for us to stop sinning; but also grants the forgiveness of our past sins by providing a perfect atonement in the sacrificial death of His own Son.

Passover is a very important occasion for believers. At that time we recall the making of that covenant with all its promises. We should also recall the sealing of that covenant with the actual death of Yahshua on the tree later in the day. And of course we take the emblems of that covenant, Yahshua’s broken body and shed blood as symbolized by the unleavened bread and the fruit of the vine.

The promises include the forgiveness of our past sins, the indwelling of Yahweh’s Holy [Kodesh] Spirit, the help of Yahshua in keeping from sin in the future, and the support of Yahshua’s congregation in walking with Yahweh. That is quite a package of goodies. It is too bad the price had to be so terribly high.

All we need to bring is the complete faith in Yahshua to be our Savior. This is a faith that compels us to humbly strive to keep from sinning. 1 John 1:8, 9, If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Friends, May Yahweh bless you with all the blessings of His New Covenant, and the shalom of Yahweh.

Tom Schattke